Balancing Food Freedom + Your Social Life (Client Success Story!)

A few months ago I was speaking with my client Rachel.

We were at the end of our session, chatting about some gentle nutrition strategies to make cooking feel easier during the week- she’d let me know she was ready to spend a little more time in the kitchen.

And after going through some of my favorite tips and suggestions for her schedule she looked at me with a straight face and said "I have a big question though- the one thing that always trips me up”

Rachel told me that she had a decent social circle in her community and that one of the things that she loved the most were the spontaneous mid-week invitations to grab a drink or go to dinner with friends…

Not to mention the last-minute work happy hours and occasional events that would pop up on her calendar out of nowhere.

"How do I actually stick to this strategy, Katelyn? Half of the time these things are totally unplanned and always get me off track"....

I knew exactly what she meant. That feeling of committing to this sexy new "plan".

Whether that’s a step-by-step program, or even the simple goal of calendaring 1 specific night of the week to make a healthy new recipe.

And then when something intercepts your strategy you feel out of control- that little rebellious voice hanging out in the back of your mind says "screw it- just start next week"…

And then nachos + margaritas with the girls turn into mindlessly eating, bagels at the office the next morning, followed by raiding your candy stash in the afternoon etc.

So when Rachel expressed her concern I actually got really excited. A weight lifted off my chest for her.

I helped her understand that this pattern was really an old way of thinking…and that we’re getting off this restrict/binge rollercoaster once and for all- wooohoooo.

Rachel had been so used to placing all of her attention on this rigid "health goal" as way to measure if she was "doing good or bad".

Instead, we decided to reframe this way of thinking... (and you can do this too)

Let’s say you do get an invite to grab dinner with friends (it’s absolutely going to happen- this is life)- go and enjoy!

The mindful eating tips & work that we do around repairing hunger + fullness cues will help you enjoy the evening, feeling satisfied instead of controlled by food or like you "blew it".

But beyond that strategy, this is truly a different way to think about real-life social situations- What happens if you do overeat? Heck- even catch yourself in a full-on binge…

The key to moving forward is looking at this as an opportunity to LEARN, rather than "starting over".

There is no more starting over- we're on this food/body journey- onward :)

I could see the relief in Rachel’s face + body by the end of our session…how freeing to feel like you have the tools to work with the ebb’s and flow’s of life, rather than against them.

How’s this story sitting with you?

Do you feel like you’re constantly trying to follow a guidebook for your body and having knee-jerk reactions whenever something doesn’t go according to plan?

"Throwing in the towel?" "Feeling like a failure?" "Like you’re on this constant on/off the hamster wheel of "healthy eating"?"

I did too.

And almost every single client that I support feels this way too when we start working together.

If you’re ready for a new sustainable solution, you’re in the right spot! I’ve included all of my favorite resources for you in my free Body Acceptance Starter Kit. If you’re ready to dive in, you can download it right here!